Device for the spreading of concrete

ABSTRACT

A machine for delivering concrete from a vehicle to remote locations, which includes an articulated sectional mast having piston and cylinder assemblies enabling adjustment through an arc of 180*. The concrete feed pipes or tubes are carried by the mast sections for conveying concrete from the vehicle to the outer end of the mast structure. The sections of the mast can be folded upon each other in a unique manner to enable convenient transportation thereof from place to place.

United States Patent Schwing et al. [451 Aug. 22, 1972 DEVICE FOR THESPREADING OF 2,674,500 4/ 1954 l-lukari. 182/2 CONCRETE 2,948,306 8/1960Kuraefi ..137/6l5 UX ..l37 615 [72] Inventors: Fnednc' h Schwmg'Rathausstrasse 3/1964 Green et a1 7/ Ratt Arntzen 1 bmghsmsse both3,399,909 9/1968 Ambrose ..137/6l5 x Eickel, Germany 3,409,046 11/1968Means ..l37/6l5 3,451,427 6 196 Dollin ..l37 615 22 Filed: June 9, 1970I 9 get I [21] Appl. No.: 44,684 Primary Examiner-Samuel ScottAttorney-Malcolm W. Fraser [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57]ABSTRACT June 10, 1969 Germany l9 29 401-0 A machine for deliveringconcrete from a vehicle to Jan. 7, 1970 Germany ..P 20 00 382.1 remotelocations, which includes an articulated sectional mast having pistonand cylinder assemblies U-S- CI enabling adjustment through an arc of180 The ..B65q concrete feed or tubes are carried the mast [58] Flew MSearch "137/351, 615; 182/2, 113 sections for conveying concrete fromthe vehicle to 6 the outer end of the mast structure. The sections of [51 References cue! the mast can be folded upon each other in a uniqueUNITED STATES PATENTS manner to enable convenient transportation thereoffrom place to place. 3 ,459,222 8/1969 McElroy ..137/615 2 Claim, 5Drawing figures Patented Aug. 22, 1972 '3 685,543

' s Sheets-Sheet 1 BMW! M Q WAN, A.

Puemd Aug. 22, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA INVENTOR S Zak/A Wham 4%. Km-I W Patented Aug. 22, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS DEVICE FOR THESPREADING OF CONCRETE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relatesto a device for the spreading of concrete with a concrete feed conduit,which is directed with a tiltable spreading mast consisting of severalparts connected with one another by means of links, of which the basicarm and the arm branch part connected thereon are connected through a180 thrust-piston-pivot-drive.

Devices of this type are utilized together with concrete pumps mountedon a vehicle, for example, a motor freight car or truck. Their advantageas compared with the ordinary bucket feed lies above all therein, thatthey make possible a continuous supply of concrete with greatdifferences in height. The great lengths of the masts necessitated bysuch differences in height require a multiple division of the spreadingmast for the transportation of the device and the direction of theconduction of the supply of concrete in the operation of the device.Frequently a basic arm is utilized, which is pivoted about a centralpivot rotatable column or upright and on which is arranged through ahorizontal pivot the arm part element. Outside of the basic arm and thearm part element as a rule, however, only a mast section is required.

It is known to attach this mast section to the arm-part element and tobring it with a thrust-piston-drive assembly out of the transportingposition into the operating position, as well as to adjust it duringoperation of the device. With these devices, the basic arm, the armpart-element and the mast section lie parallel to one another in avertical plane. Then in any case, a thrust piston turning gear assemblybecomes necessary whose field of traverse must extend over approximately270.

Such turning gears can not be carried out with one thrust pistonassembly. There are rather necessary at least two thrust pistonsassemblies which take effect on an intermediary member, which must beconnected between the two mast sections. The technical expenditure forsuch a turning gear is relatively great. This technical expenditure mustfurthermore be taken into account solely on account of the folding up orcollapsing of the mast sections. It cannot be made use of in theoperation of the device. In addition, the control of the turning gear isdifficult because both thrust pistons, each according to load, arediffercntiatingly active.

It was, however, already suggested to fold the mast sections onto oneanother in horizontal planes and in this case only 180thrust-piston-turning gears are necessary. Therefore, in this manner thedifficulties of the turning gears with more than 180 pivoting capabilitymay be avoided. The arrangement of the mast sections folded adjacent oneanother is in many cases not possible.

The invention furnishes a device which operates with a spreading mast,whose sections are folded on one another in a horizontal plane and whichmakes use of simple turning gears.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, it is madepossible, that the mast pivoted on the arm-part element is adjustablewith the aid of an 180 thrust piston turning gear assembly and isfoldable between the arm part-element and the basic arm.

The invention attains in this manner, that the entire or all of the mastsections may be connected with piston and cylinder assemblies, whichpermit of being actuated each with a hydraulic thrust piston drive.Besides, it is possible thereby to make due with the pivotability of thedrive couplings when the spreader mast is to be brought into atransporting position or shifted out of the same, so that drive andtransporting couplings of the mast are identical.

On this rests substantially the advantage achieved by the invention, iea decrease in the entire technical expenditure and a simplification ofthe control of the mast.

When the mast section linked to the arm piece possesses a relativelygreat length, care must be taken, that the thrust piston turning gearassembly between the basic arm and arm part-element does not disturb theconnection of the mast sections. In accordance with the invention, thisis achieved in that the mast section attached to the arm part elementhas two partial lengths, of which the connecting end on the arm piece isarranged in the same plane as the arm part element, while the otherpartial length is offset and directed past on the thrust pistonturning-gear.

In this manner it permits of being attained that the mast section mayhave the same, or if need be a greater length than the arm part element.Besides, the pipe deflection arranged mainly on the mast end may bedisposed directly adjacent the folded up or collapsed mast sections.

In any case, the mast, with the aid of the different turning gears maybe brought kinematically into positions in which the entire arrangementbecomes statically unstable. In order to prevent the danger of thetipping over of the mast or of the vehicle containing it, respectively,end switches must be installed, which limit the movements of the mastand exclude the dangerous ranges. Such end switches are found in thepractice of building construction as subject to disturbance. Theytherefore do not reliably fulfill their object.

With known devices, attempt is made to avoid end switches, in that thedevice is so arranged that upon pivoting of the basic arm, all points ofthe mast move in circular arcs whose lengths are solely dependent upontheir spacing from the pivot center-point. This has been founddisadvantageous, because the vehicle then must always stand at a certainspacing from the structure wall and at a predetermined point in order tobe able to pump the concrete to predetermined floors or stories.

These characteristics require particularly in the turning gears of thebasic arm and of the connected shaft, appreciable moments, which must beequalized by means of a correspondingly great dimensioning of the thrustpiston drive assembly and the links. This means an appreciableadditional expenditure.

The invention excludes as compared therewith, in kinematic manner thedangerous ranges of the movements of the mast.

In accordance with the invention, this is attained by having the armpivoted to one arm of a. two armed lever, whose other arm together witha part of the support forms for the basic arm and a pull or draw-rod aguide parallelogram, and that the arm and the part element are foldablefrom above on the side of the basic arm which lies opposite to the pullor draw rod.

In particular, the invention is achieved by having the thrustpistonldrive serving for the pivoting of the basic arm pivoted to thecolumn or support in the connecting link of the draw or pull rod and ispivoted on the basic arm between its two connecting links. Particularadvantages result in any case, when the thrust piston drive serving forthe pivoting of the arm is supported in the apex of a steering mechanismwhose outer links lie in the center of rotation of the lever and in thearm.

In this device constructed according to the invention, the part elementsof the mast connected to the basic arm are turned in or retracted fromabove or'unfolded respectively. The parallel guidance is therebylimiting on the one hand the horizontal swing possibility of the basicarm to little more than one-fourth of a circular rotation in thevertical plane, and on the other hand, it guides the arm and mast orpost part element connected to the same in such manner, that withoutactuation of the upper turning gear, this part of the mast coverssimilar arcuate paths.

Thereby, on the one hand, the dangerous pivotal positions of the mastare eliminated, and on the other hand, the mast upon varying spacing ofthe vehicle from the building may be swung to the wall of thebuilding.There is thus a better utilization of the mast.

The load of the thrust piston in the lower pivot drive of the mastbecomes substantially less than previously. The directing of the mast issimplified because the pivot path covered in the part of the mast to beobserved corresponds to the pivot paths which are covered in the upperend of the range of the mast and not seen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows in side view differentpositions which the sections of a spreader-mast may assume.

FIG. 2 shows in side view the spreader mast in transporting conditionshowing some details which are omitted from FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a section along the line A-B of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows the device according to the invention in side view forillustration of its details, and

FIG. 5 shows several of the possible pivot positions of the mast-in theillustration according to FIG. 4, and its individual sections.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS On a motor car truck or freight car1 is positioned at 2 a concrete pump, whose hopper 3 receives theconcrete to be supplied to the pump. From the hopper the pumped concretereaches the conduit 4 and through it a sectional spreading mast 5.

The sectional spreading mast 5 is mounted on a column 6, which ispivotal about a vertical pivot 7. The supports 8 make it possible torelease the wheels 9 of the vehicle 1 and to give to the entire device abetter emplacement-capability.

Through a horizontal link 11, the mast or post is pivoted to the column6 and may be alined with respect to the column by means of a thrustpiston 12. The lower partof the mast or post is formed by a basic arm13, on which is laid the concrete-supply conduit 14. By a suitablecoupling an arm 17 is pivoted to the basic arm 13 and the connectionbetween the arm 17 and the basic arm 13 is produced by a 180thrust-piston as sembly 20.

The arrow 21 in FIG. 1 as well as the four fragments from left to rightshown in FIG. 1 illustrate how the sectional spreading mast 5 is foldedinto its transporting position.

In the transporting position, the mast section 19 is folded between thearm element 17 and the basic arm 13. Besides, it is recognizable fromFIG. 1, that the transporting links are identical with the operatinglinks.

In the transportingposition, which is illustrated in FIG. 2, therefore,the front end of the post or mast section 19 pivoted to the arm element17 is positioned in the direct vicinity of the 180 thrust pistonassembly 18,

which connects the basic arm 13 with the arm element To the arm element17 is connected a first partial length of the mast section 19, whichextends into the vicinity of the 180 thrust piston assembly 18 and isindicated at 26 in FIG. 2. At this point, the mast section 19 isdisplaced, that is, it possesses a U-shaped partial length 28 (FIG. 3)for the displacement of the concrete-supply conduit 30 and for thereception of the pipe deflection member 24.

With the embodiment shown by way of example, accordingly the partiallength 14 of the concrete feed conduit correlated with the basic arm 13is arranged adjacent the mast section 19, while the partial length 31 ofthe concrete feed conduit correlated with the arm element 17 liesunderthe post section. The partiallength 30 of the concrete feed conduitlies on the opposite side, however, likewise, adjacent to the U- shapedportion of the mast section 28.

In this manner it is possible to dispose the thrust piston drive 18between the individual mast sections.

Furthermore, outside of the described solid sections 14, 30 and 31 ofthe concrete feed conduit, also pipe sections 35 are utilized, in orderto make the concrete feed conduit flexible. The outlet end of theconcrete feed conduit is formed by a pipe or tube 36, for assisting indirecting concrete feed conduit at the end of the mast.

As far as in the foregoing explanations the pivot 'ranges of the pivotdrives are indicated, these figure values are to be regarded asapproximate values, which can be varied as desired.

In the embodiment shown by way of example in FIGS. 4 and 5, the motortruck carries on its base frame 102 a concrete pump 103 with a fillerfunnel 104, and offers at 105 the possibility of supporting .the severalsections of the mast. For enhancing the safety of position of thevehicle, extensible supports 106 are provided.

About a center vertical pivot 107 rotates a column 108, on which at 109a base arm 110 and at 111 a pull or draw bar 112 are connected. A thrustpiston drive assembly 113 is mounted at 114 on the lower side 115 of thebase arm 110 and is connected at 111 to the ing of two links 121 and 122is pivoted a thrust piston drive assembly 123, which is pivoted at 124on the lower side 125 of the arm 119.

The outer links of the drive consisting of the two links 121 and 122 lieon the one hand at 126 in the arm 119 and on the other hand at 115 inthe flexible bearing of the basic arm 110 or of the lever 116,respectively.

On the lower side 125 of the arm 119 is pivoted at 129 a thrust pistondrive assembly 130. This thrust piston drive assembly is supported inthe apex 131 of a drive consisting of two links 133 or 134,respectively, whose outer link is disposed at 135 in the arm 119 and at126 in an arm 137 connected to the arm 1 19.

The concrete introduced at 104 to the pump 103 and is then pumpedthrough pipes, not shown, to the connection 140. It passes from thereinto a flexible tube 142, out of whose end 143 the concrete isdischarged. The pipe support member 141 prevents a kinking of the pipe.

As apparent from FIG. 4, the arm 119 is pivoted to the upper arm of thetwo armed lever 1 16, whose lower arm forms together with the part ofthe column 108 lying between the points 109 and 111, as well as the basearm 110 and the pull rod 112 a guide parallelogram. The arm 119 and thearm 137 are folded from above upon the side 150 of the base arm 110lying opposite the pull rod 112, when the entire arrangement is in itstransporting position.

Upon initiation of the arrangement, the individual mast arms are openedup. Then the mast may by way of example assume one of the positionsillustrated in FIG.

From FIG. 5, it is apparent that the outermost inclined position of thebase arm 110 cannot endanger the stability of the vehicle, because themovement of the base arm 1 is limited to the front or forward end.Besides, it is to be noted from FIG. 5, that upon pivoting of the basearm 110 without actuation of the thrust piston drive 123, the connectinglink of the arm 119 covers the same arc a as the connecting link 151 ofthe arm 137; this arc being indicated at b. On account of the parallelguidance of the arms 119 and 137, there accordingly results that uponlowering of the base arm 110 from its vertical position into thetransporting position, the angular position of the arms 119 and 137 ismaintained. in order to prevent an undesired tilting movement rearward,the thrust piston drive assembly 123 may therefore be laid out so thatan inclination of the part 119 rearwardly is impossible. In addition,the following results:

While, the mast arm 137 through actuation of the thrust piston driveassembly 130 is swung about the arc c, each deflection leads about thearc a or b, respectively to a deflection of the pipe support member 141about the arc d, which is exactly as large as the are b or a. In viewthereof, by means of observation of the pivoting movement of the visibleparts about the arcs a and b, it may be very accurately estimated howthe member 141 moves about the are d, which mainly cannot be directlyunderstood. The horizontal movement of the pipe 142 necessary for theoptimum distribution of concrete on a ceiling will be attained alreadyapproximately through the are 4 upon movement or actuation i-ifiififii'ii lifi'ifiii uia ifi'wst piston drive 123 is loaded independently of theposition of the base arm in dependence solely on the positions 'of thearm parts 119 and 137. This makes possible a correspondingly economicaldimensioning.

Also the thrust-piston drive assembly 113 may be dimensionedsubstantially more weakly than with embodiments without parallelguidance, because the tilting moments are conducted mainly through theparts 1 10 and 112 into the column 108.

It is finally of particular advantage that the mast in its end positionb swung farthest forward, may assume the two positions illustrated tothe left, outside in FIG. 5, when lower floors of the building are to beconcreted.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for delivering concrete to remote locations comprising anarticulated section mast having a basic arm, an intermediate armsection, and an outer mast section, conduit means for concrete carriedby said mast means for forcibly feeding concrete through said conduitmeans, piston and cylinder assemblies arranged respectively at thejoints of said mast sections and directly connected thereto with acylinder connected to one arm section and its piston connected toanother arm section for actuating the sections thereof through an arc offor enabling extension or retraction of selected mast sections, andpivotal connections between said mast sections respectively enablingsaid outer mast section to be folded between said basic arm andintermediate arm section, and with a substantial portion of the lengthof said outer arm section wholly offset laterally of the adjacent armsection.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said conduit means is inthe form of a continuous flexible tube disposed, as viewed with the mastsections in extended position, with a length thereof along one side ofsaid basic arm, a length thereof along the upper edge of saidintermediate arm section, and another length thereof along an oppositeside of said outer arm section, the tube arrangement being such that thearm sections can be folded together with the outer arm section disposedbetween said basic arm and said intermediate arm section.

1. Apparatus for delivering concrete to remote locations comprising anarticulated section mast having a basic arm, an intermediate armsection, and an outer mast section, conduit means for concrete carriedby said mast means for forcibly feeding concrete through said conduitmeans, piston and cylinder assemblies arranged respectively at thejoints of said mast sections and directly connected thereto with acylinder connected to one arm section and its piston connected toanother arm section for actuating the sections thereof through an arc of180* for enabling extension or retraction of selected mast sections, andpivotal connections between said mast sections respectively enablingsaid outer mast section to be folded between said basic arm andintermediate arm section, and with a substantial portion of the lengthof said outer arm section wholly offset laterally of the adjacent armsection.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said conduit meansis in the form of a continuous flexible tube disposed, as viewed withthe mast sections in extended position, with a length thereof along oneside of said basic arm, a length thereof along the upper edge of saidintermediate arm section, and another length thereof along an oppositeside of said outer arm section, the tube arrangement being such that thearm sections can be folded together with the outer arm section disposedbetween said basic arm and said intermediate arm section.